Sunday, February 14, 1999

How to get the most out of the big event

By MOLLY HILL

Staff Writer

Today's weddings are as varied as the couples tying the knot and local wedding experts offer tips on how to get the most out of the big event.

REGISTRY

Since many couples may not have all the items they need to set up house after they marry, bridal registries are a fun, practical way to ensure the bride and groom receive items that will be useful in starting a home.

Time is of the essence in many households, and with husbands and wives both working outside the home, people have less time to prepare meals.

Brenda Kirschbaum and Janet Galloway, owners of Kiss the Cook, a kitchen speciality shop, say todays engaged couples want useful, time-saving items, such as microwaveable dishware, as well as time-saving implements such as spice measurers that measure in quarter teaspoon implements, vegetable choppers and salad spinners.

"People are going for more practical things -- items that are dishwasher and microwave safe." Kirschbaum said.

She added that most couples are opting not to register for formal china and stemware.

"My daughter got married last May and didn’t pick out formal china and stemware," she said. "She preferred to put money in good, sturdy cookware and quality cooking tools rather than in fine china that she will have to store."

Dillards sales associate Cary Evans agreed that the trend in bridal registries is away from formal, ornate china and silver flatware to more contemporary, casual china and stainless flatware.

"People want more multipurpose items that are easy to take care of," he said. "It is important for people to think of their lifestyle and if they are going to use something once a year, they need to ask themselves if it’s worth spending the money."

Couples also need to take into account their home’s decor, Evans added.

"When people are selecting china and linens, they need to think about how the selections will match the overall look of the house," he said.

Prospective grooms are also taking a more active role in wedding selections, Kirschbaum said.

"Guys now play an active part of setting up a household. Picking out stuff used to be a mother, daughter thing, but now we see guys choosing items, especially cookware," she said.

Evans stressed that couples should not limit themselves to registering only in the china or linen departments.

"People should go to every department, including electronics and housewares and they shouldn’t be afraid to put something on the registry if they like it," he said.

THE WEDDING DRESS

One of the most talked-about aspects of any wedding is the bride’s dress, which often establishes the tone of the entire event.

"I have found the gown sets the theme for the whole wedding," said Angie Clark, owner of Angie’s Bridal.

Clark said dresses are as varied as the brides who wear them and added that white is not always the color of choice for many of today’s brides.

"When I started in this business, I thought everybody wanted a white dress -- I found out that is not true. A lot of fair-skinned brides love candlelight or ivory dresses," said Clark, who has even sold black wedding dresses.

"I’ve sold several black wedding dresses for brides, who were as happy as they could be with the selections," she said.

Clark said some prospective brides come into her store knowing what kind of dress they want, and others even bring magazine photographs of their dream gown.

"A lot of brides have an idea of what they want. We carry copies of dresses that are shown in magazines at a fraction of the price. I had a bride who picked out a copy of a $1,500 dress she found in a magazine and paid $500 for it," she said.

Clark said many local brides select dresses with heavy beading, while others prefer simpler styles and gowns embellished with lace.

"Brides 35 and older tend to go with simpler dresses with not as much beading. I’ve had women in their 60s buy wedding gowns and most of them want their dresses to have lace," Clark said.

CAKE

In addition to the bride’s dress, one of the most memorable aspects of a wedding is the cake.

As with dresses, cakes are becoming individualized to reflect the interests in the bride and groom.

"We do groom’s cakes with different themes and many people pick out themes that go with what they are interested in," said Dorothy Hanshaw, who has been taking wedding cake orders at Snow White Bakery for 25 years. "For example, a hunter may choose a cake decorated with a hunting scene or someone in the air force may want his cake decorated with an airplane."

Cap Prachyl, owner of Party Fare bakery, agreed that the trend in wedding cakes is toward individualized decorating, both in the brides and groom’s cakes.

"We did one bride’s cake in the shape of a star, because the couple’s last name was Star, and we also did a decoration where we incorporated horseshoes into the cake stand," Prachyl said. "It’s also popular to decorate the groom’s cake with something that pertains to his hobbies or occupation."

Many cakes are no longer the standard white or chocolate, Prachyl added.

"We’ve done bride’s cakes where one layer is Italian cream and another layer is white cake and we’ve done groom’s cakes with raspberry or chocolate mousse filling instead of plain chocolate," she said.

Also, Prachyl said her bakery offers baking accessories for people who want a special family member or friend to make their cake.

"We provide pans and paste colors and the baker provides the secret ingredient called love," she said.

FLOWERS

When selecting flowers for the big day, experts say the trend is toward simple, natural arrangements.

"People are moving away from carrying cascading bouquets. Round bouquets are popular, as are hand-tied flowers with stems, which is a trend we’ve seen in the past three years," said Jamie Bailey, co-owner of the Arrangement flower shop. Bailey added that among the most popular flowers are lily-of the-valley, tulips and roses.

Most brides prefer fresh flowers to silk flowers and Bailey said there are ways to preserve the bouquet for years to come.

"People can save their flowers and dry them. They can even put them in a shadow-box frame, along with other reminders of their wedding," she said.

RINGS

The ring is perhaps the most personal and lasting symbol of a couple’s life together and should not be puschased without a great deal of thought.

"People have to find a jeweler they trust. Many people shop on the Internet which is not a good way to buy a diamond. They are buying diamonds without seeing them and later they find out the diamond is not what they thought it would be," said Busch Jewelers owner Don Fite.

Fite said platinum and white gold are popular choices for engagement bands and wedding rings.

"We sell platinum and white gold to 80 percent of our customers. Before World War II, all jewelry was platinum and in the last few years, platinum has again become a popular choice," he said. "It shows diamonds off well and young people like silver, which goes well with it,"

He added that the trend in engagement rings is toward more tailored, traditional solitaires with a single diamond or a few side diamonds.

For men considering purchasing an engagement ring and wedding band for their fiancee, Fite said two-months salary is a good indicator of how much to spend.

"This business is about romance, and two months salary is a good guide. This is something you give once and will last a lifetime. When she looks at her finger when she is 65, you want her to be as proud of the ring as when she was 25," he said.

PHOTOS

Many couples say amid the hectic pace of their wedding, they barely remember the event, so pictures are often the best way for couples to relive the special day.

They should, however, plan well in advance to ensure they are satisfied with their photographs.

"Couples should start planning for their photographer as soon as possible because there are a limited number of photographers in town," said Tom Miller, owner of Tom Miller Photography. "Couples also should shop around, get references and look at samples of photographers’ work."

Miller said there are several factors to consider when choosing a photographer.

"There are several ways to determine which photographer is selected," Miller said. "People need to see if his or her price fits their budget, look at the samples and see if they are up-to-date and make sure the people don’t look rigid. Also, couples should discuss what kind of packages they would be able to buy and should not hesitate to ask about a payment plan."

Miller added that couples should make sure the photographer’s personality is in sinc with what they expect from a photographer.

"Brides and grooms should find out if he or she takes special requests and seems to be willing to do what they want," he said.

Miller said the trend in wedding photography is more candid and natural and added that more and more brides and grooms are choosing to have photographs taken together before the ceremony.

"Many brides and grooms are having their pictures done before the wedding. It is a special time for them to be together and they don’t have to keep their guests waiting at the reception," he said.

Many couples have little time after the wedding to visit the photographer’s studio and discuss the arrangement of their album.

Approving and selecting photos is now as simple as sitting at the computer, Miller said.

"Couples can sit at their computer and design their album on the screen," he said. "They receive a CD with their wedding pictures on it from their photographer and they can put the images on the pages and see the finished album on the screen. Then they can send the images and pages to the photograoher over the Internet." Miller added that he began this service in January 1998.

HONEYMOON

After the vows have been exchanged and the last piece of cake eaten, most couples want to relax and enjoy their first days as newlyweds.

"Most honeymoon inquiries we have are to Cozemel, Cancun and Jamaica -- we sell a lot of packages to these destinations," said Lena Bilbrey, owner of Bilbrey Tours.

Bilbrey said regardless of whether or not couples have a destination in mind, they need to take several factors into consideration before planning a honeymoon.

"Couples need to look at the time they have to spend on a honeymoon, their interests and have an idea of what they can afford," she said.

Bilbrey added that many couples choose to honeymoon at the same destination where they were married.

"Combination weddings and honeymoons are popular. For example, cruise ships are popular for this. The ship’s captain performs the ceremony and special receptions are arranged -- you always see honeymooners on cruises," she said.

For casual, laid-back weddings and honeymoons amid breathtaking scenery, Bilbrey said Hawaii is the place to go.

"Hawaii is a real prime spot both to get married and to honeymoon," she said. "People can get married on the beach and resorts take care of the food, flowers and music. They also plan the rehearsal meal and receptions. The couple shows up knowing everything is taken care of."

Molly Hill can be reached at 676-6733 or hillmo@abinews.com